Hydrocarbons can be produced from wellbores drilled from the surface through a variety of producing and non-producing formations. The formation can be fractured, or otherwise stimulated, to facilitate hydrocarbon production. A stimulation operation often involves high flow rates and the presence of a proppant.
Monitoring the density of the stimulation fluid, which can include the proppant, can be challenging. A radioactive densometer can be used around a tubular, which involves placing a radioactive source across from a radiation detector around a tubular and measuring the radioactive count through the tubular and the stimulation fluid. The radioactive count is inversely proportional to the density of the fluid. A radioactive source can be dangerous and expensive and can require the use of special equipment and personnel for transport and usage. The use of radioactive sources increases the dangers, equipment costs, and personnel costs involved in measuring the density of the fluid.
Outside the well, the density of a fluid can be measured using a Coriolis meter. The Coriolis meter requires relatively low pressure and cannot be implemented within the wellbore.
Quantitatively monitoring fluid density in a downhole wellbore environment can be particularly challenging.